That’s from thirty-six deaths in a fire at a housing complex in Hong Kong. The city government communicates this. Among the dead were eight women, three men and a firefighter. Thick clouds of gray smoke rose as emergency services tried to extinguish the fire. They do too 28 people were injuredyou are in serious condition.
Seven of the eight buildings in the Wang Fuk Court housing complex are still on fire. This was stated by Chou Wing Yin, deputy head of the ambulance service, in a press conference Wednesday evening quoted by CNN. It’s a building in a public housing complex, consisting of nearly 2,000 apartments that, according to the latest census data reported by CNN, has more than 4,600 residents, including many seniors.
According to Tai Po district councilor Berry Mui Siu-fong, entire blocks were on fire, only one was contained and the fire had also spread to apartments.
The rescue operation, the media explained, involved 767 firefighters and 400 police officers, as well as 128 fire trucks and 57 ambulances. More than 700 people have so far taken refuge in five community shelters opened by the Tai Po District Office.
I was in the fire more than 100 pets are also trapped, as reported by a pet rescue organization quoted by the South China Morning Post. Zoie Cheng Kam-shan, business development director of the Hong Kong Pet Club, said her organization had sent two pet ambulances to the scene to pick up animals rescued from the fire and transfer them to nearby veterinary clinics.
According to what residents say the fire alarm didn’t go off sooner that the fire broke out in several buildings of the housing complex, even though the buildings were equipped with them. The South China Moring Post reported this, citing people who were present at the time of the incident, such as Chan Kwong-Tak, an 83-year-old retiree who lives in the community.
“If anyone is sleeping at that time, it’s game over,” he explained, adding that residents had to evacuate themselves. Former district councilor Herman Yiu Kwan-ho told the South China Moring Post that residents said the alarm did not go off, even after they smelled something burning, and that they were only alerted when security guards knocked on their door, leaving them little time to evacuate.
Videos Hong Kong, thick clouds of smoke billowing from a housing complex
The fire spread from bamboo scaffolding outside the building.
Authorities closed several sections of nearby highways while firefighting operations continued. “Residents in the area are advised to stay indoors, close doors and windows and remain calm. The public is also advised to avoid being in fire-affected areas,” said the Fire Department.
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